Helping you reach new heights

An update from Basecamp Week 7: What does CSR mean to you?

As business leaders, we all have one thing in common, we are all trying to make our businesses as successful as possible. This means going the extra mile and becoming the best. In today’s society that means we have to think differently and most importantly act differently, in order to leverage an advantage over our competitors.

Here at BizFit we have a different approach to business, an approach that involves thinking and acting differently to do something positive for our community. You may recognise it as Corporate Social Responsibility.

If you are yet to consider implementing a Corporate Social Responsibility policy (CSR) for your business we’re offering you a great opportunity.

So, what exactly is CSR? In a nutshell, it’s a business making a commitment and taking part in volunteer work, becoming more environmentally focused, donating to and partnering with a charity or basically having a good ethical practice for its employees.

When nurtured and promoted CSR will spark customer engagement and help build a positive public persona, as a company that people want to do business with.

At the heart of the BizFit model is the old adage that people do business with people that they know, like and trust and what better way to establish and promote your values than adopting and promoting a workable CSR commitment. An active CSR programme demonstrates your company’s values and makes it clear that you are trying to achieve more than just profit. William Clay Ford Jr., the Executive Chairman at Ford Motor Company sums this up perfectly and said, “Creating a strong business and building a better world are not conflicting goals – they are both essential ingredients for long-term success”.

As well as the benefits to society, studies show that companies that have an active CSR policy have more enthusiastic and engaged employees. In addition, it’s proven that when a company demonstrates a dedication to their community they are more likely to attract hard working staff and retain focused employees who believe in and share a vision for a successful future.

CSR has an impact on social, educational and environmental issues, and having a policy, even on a small scale to start with, really can make a difference in the short, medium or longer term.

How to get started

Choosing a charity or concern that you believe in, is the best starting point. If you are passionate about your CSR policy you are much more likely to engage others who’ll share your vision. In addition, your own beliefs will give you the determination and motivation to set aside time and resources to get results.

Our own founder, Terry Malloy explains his reasons for choosing the MS Society for this year’s BizFit challenge, “I had a family friend who battled the condition for years before unfortunately passing away. She always remained such a vibrant and positive person, even after she was diagnosed and I saw how MS slowly took the life out of her.

MS is so unpredictable and her resilience and optimism, as other people I know in the MS community also have, is a source of inspiration for anyone facing tough times and uncertainty. She’s really motivated me to make the most out of life and had a real impact on how I run my business”.

So, what charity or concern do you feeling strongly enough about to get involved? Whatever it is BizFit can help you raise money and promote your business at the same time.

The funds from sign up fees and sponsorship options go directly to the MS Society, leaving you are free to raise funds for your own preferred charity by entering a team or participating in the Couch to Summit Challenge. Find out more here.

We are offering you the opportunity to get involved in many different ways and our sponsorship packages are designed to be inclusive, enabling companies of all sizes to join us and make a real difference.

We’d love you to start your CSR commitment with BizFit, we’ll guide you through the process, saving you time and money, and we’ll even introduce you to a whole new business network – we can even help you set up your own fundraising page.

Join us today – who knows where it may take you and what you will have achieved by next year?